Residents in Syria's northeastern Raqqa face deteriorating living conditions after years of war

Описание: (24 Jan 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Raqqa, Syria - 24 January 2026
1. Wide of roundabout
2. Various of damaged buildings and streets
3. Various of local resident, Jamal Merhi, standing in front of carpentry workshop and smoking cigarette
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Jamal Merhi, Raqqa resident:
“The roads, as you can see, are full of potholes, mud and puddles, and are in a deplorable condition. Work is scarce and there are no longer jobs for people here. What can we do? I swear to God we can barely earn enough for a piece of bread, and only with great effort. We do not know what to do.”
5. Wide of man taking bread from kiosk
6. Various of damaged school and residential buildings
STORYLINE:
Residents in the northern Syrian city of Raqqa have said they are facing deteriorating living conditions after years of conflict in the region.

Following the fight against the Islamic State over the past decade, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, took control of the area until earlier this week when Syrian government forces advanced.

Streets have been heavily damaged, filled with potholes and mud.

Many buildings including schools in the area remain in disrepair awaiting reconstruction amid ongoing economic hardships.

Local resident, Jamal Merhi, said economic conditions have left many struggling to meet basic needs.

“Work is scarce, and there are no longer jobs for people here,” Merhi said.

“I swear to God we can barely earn enough for a piece of bread, and only with great effort. We do not know what to do,” he added.

In just two weeks, Syria’s Kurdish‑led Syrian Democratic Forces - once the main partner of the United States against the militant Islamic State group in Syria - lost most of its territory in northern Syria to an offensive launched by Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

The SDF was then forced to accept a deal under which it would dissolve and merge tens of thousands of its fighters with Syrian government’s military as individuals rather than in a bloc, after the failure of months-long negotiations on the integration of its troops into the new Syrian army.

The SDF was established a decade ago with U.S. support as a coalition to fight IS. Its backbone was made up of a Syrian Kurdish armed group affiliated with the PKK.

The agreement comes as tensions between government forces and the SDF boiled over earlier this month, eventually resulting in a major push by government forces toward the east.

The SDF appeared to have largely retreated after initial clashes on a tense frontline area in Aleppo province.

Since toppling Bashar Assad in December 2024, Syria’s new leaders have struggled to assert full authority over the war-torn country.

An agreement was reached in March that would merge the SDF with Damascus, but it didn't gain traction as both sides accused each other of violating the deal.

AP video shot by: Ghaith Alsayed

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